Leawood, Kansas, United States - The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Saturday, 29 November 2014 “God’s grace in us: “Love your enemies"Today's Scripture: Matthew 5: Love Your Enemies
38-42 “Here’s another old saying that deserves a second look: ‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.’ Is that going to get us anywhere? Here’s what I propose: ‘Don’t hit back at all.’ If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.
43-47 “You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
48 “In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”
Reflection Questions:
At the time of Jesus’ ministry, Palestine seethed with hatred of Roman occupiers (and even of Hebrews with different views). Jesus called us to live out God’s grace by loving even our enemies and praying for them. In answer to a later question about which commandment was the greatest, he said, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You must love your neighbor as you love yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39)
• Jesus challenged even the standard of proportional revenge in the Law of Moses, and taught that revenge never resolves broken relationships. He called his followers to love in bigger ways than anyone had dreamed of before, to love their enemies and pray for those who harassed them. In his day, that would have meant praying for the Roman soldiers who occupied their country. (Jesus did that as those soldiers crucified him—cf. Luke 23:34.) How can we do that today? Here’s one thought-provoking idea: an Army reserve chaplain runs a website called “Adopt a Terrorist for Prayer” (www://atfp.org/). Consider accepting Jesus’ call to live out God’s grace toward all people, either by praying for a terrorist or some other “enemy” you identify.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you lived a life of generous inclusiveness. I want to keep learning to love all people as you loved them, regardless of gender, race, religion, ideology or even behavior. Amen.
Family Activity: As a family, talk about who your friends are, what foods you like to eat, where you like to spend time and what you like to do with your time. Discuss how similar your family is to those you spend time with. What differences do you notice between your family and those you are usually around? If you don’t notice many differences, choose to build relationships with people who are different than you. Maybe they will be from a different culture or race, maybe they will speak a different language, or maybe they will eat different foods. Ask God to help you understand and relate with grace to the differences of others.
Thank God for creating such a richly diverse world.
Prayer Requests
Praise for the Births of: Anna Christine Jasa, 11/10; Vera Grace Legg, 10/20; Vera Kay Newman, 9/22
Prayers for Peace & Comfort for:
• Marty Johnson and family following the death of her cousin, Jack Coffey, 11/3
• Alan Kingcade and family following the death of his wife, Dena Kingcade, 11/15
• Curtis Miller and family following the death of his wife, Susan Miller, 11/12
• Barbara Murphy and family following the death of her husband, Billy Murphy, 10/21
• Karen Edmond and family following the death of her father, Orval Edmonds, 11/17
• Gia Garey-Moser and family following the death of her father, Meryl G. Garey, 11/18
Prayers for Members of Our Church Family Receiving Long-term Medical Care: Individual names are available online at www.cor.org/prayer.
Prayers for Members of Our Church Family Who are Serving in the Military: Individual names are available online at www.cor.org/militaryserve
Insight from Michelle KirbyMichelle Kirby is the Program Director for Learning Events such as the Journey 101 courses and Destination Resurrection at The Church of the Resurrection.
I often have the news on in the morning while I’m getting ready for work. I usually listen more than I watch—but one story I saw this week forced me to stop and watch. Perhaps you saw the story of a Cleveland cleaning woman, Cara Simmons, who was hired to clean a house for an upcoming party. What she didn’t realize was that the party was actually going to be for her.
This single mom had recently been hospitalized from exhaustion but still managed to continue working to provide for her family. Her friends thought she was deserving of a day off so they nominated her to be the recipient of a day of pampering.
When she got to the home she had been “hired” to clean, she discovered that instead of cleaning the home she got to enjoy a nice meal, a massage, and other displays of kindness. When it was revealed to her that she had been set up by her friends and family to receive this wonderful treatment for the day, she was so grateful to them. What even they didn’t realize though was that the group they had been working with, “Prank it Forward—pranks for good” had another surprise in store for her. They informed her that the house she had been hired to clean—where she had spent her day being indulged—was actually her home now, and the host handed her the keys. She was overwhelmed to say the least. (You can see the story here.)
While it was refreshing to see something so positive on the news it made me think about all of the people I know who quietly go about helping those in need. Not something any of us will see on the morning news.
I’m reminded of some of our Alpha leaders, Gerry Lewis, Brian Beach, Janet Mathis and so many others who go faithfully on Monday and Tuesday evenings to Lansing and Leavenworth prisons to spend time with prisoners, teaching them about and reminding them of God’s love and forgiveness.
I’m reminded of Bobbi Jo Reed and my friends at the Healing House who spend their personal money and time preparing for weeks, to be able to provide Christmas gifts and food for those who are living on the streets. They pray for the people they encounter and tell them of God’s love for them.
I think of my own small group members who faithfully go to Wheatley elementary each Wednesday to tutor children who are struggling to understand math or learn how to read, and I can’t help but be inspired by them.
All of these friends go about doing these things not because they have to, not out of a sense of guilt, and certainly not because they’re being paid. They also aren’t doing these things because they want to rack up more “service” hours. My friends do these things because it’s who they are. They are followers of Jesus and what breaks his heart, breaks their hearts. They are trying to do their part to put things to right.
I think of all of the people being served—the prisoners, the homeless, children and people in poverty, etc. They are exactly who Jesus is referring to in our Matthew passage today, “the least of these brothers and sisters of mine.” Jesus goes on to tell us in this parable, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
Bible Scholar William Barclay had this to say about this passage. “This is one of the most vivid parables Jesus ever spoke, and the lesson is crystal clear—that God will judge us in accordance with our reaction to human need. His judgment does not depend on the knowledge we have amassed, or the fame that we have acquired, or the fortune that we have gained, but on the help that we have given.”
As I reflect on my friends and the ways that they respond to the human needs surrounding them, I’m both inspired and challenged. Jesus’ words remind me that when I’m living a life that responds to the needs around me, I not only have the opportunity to bless others but I have an even greater opportunity to bless my King.
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"Cleveland housekeeper and single mom gets free house just in time for the holidays" She's got it made: ‘Prank It Forward’ series gives hard-working maid a home of her own. Cara Simmons handed keys to 4-bedroom house. BY DEBORAH HASTINGS NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
BREAK VIA YOUTUBEMaid Cara Simmons was astonished to learn that the house she was hired to clean was actually hers forever, thanks to the series ‘Prank It Forward.’
Cara Simmons thought she had been hired to clean a suburban Cleveland house.
Instead, she had been chosen by “Prank It Forward” as the well-deserving recipient of the newly renovated home.
Housekeeper Cara Simmons, a single mother-of-three from Cleveland, recently received a surprise visit from ‘Prank It Forward,’ a series produced by Break.com, and dedicated to doing 'pranks for good'.BREAK VIA YOUTUBE
Housekeeper Cara Simmons, a single mother-of-three from Cleveland, recently received a surprise visit from ‘Prank It Forward,’ a series produced by Break.com, and dedicated to doing 'pranks for good'.
“Thank you,” a clearly overwhelmed Simmons said as she was handed the keys at the end of an elaborate hoax that started with Simmons thinking she was just on her way to another job as a house cleaner for Maid Brite.
Cleveland maid Cara Simmons was the subject of an elaborate prank that featured a gourmet meal, a massage and a free house courtesy of the series ‘Prank It Forward.’Cleveland maid Cara Simmons was the subject of an elaborate prank that featured a gourmet meal, a massage and a free house courtesy of the series ‘Prank It Forward.’PreviousNextCleveland maid Cara Simmons was the subject of an elaborate prank that featured a gourmet meal, a massage and a free house courtesy of the series ‘Prank It Forward.’ Cara Simmons is surrounded by family as she is told the house she was hired to clean is actually hers to keep, courtesy of the series ‘Prank It Forward.’ Enlarge
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The single mother of three had recently been hospitalized for exhaustion but somehow managed to keep working and providing for her children.
<iframe width="653" height="353" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/jhjgAn0ZhHs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Her boss and her sister nominated her for Break.com’s “Prank It Forward,” a series that rewards a deserving soul with a positive prank.
“Cara is an amazing person. An amazing sister. She’s selfless, she works hard,” said sister Glo Nicholson.
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